Special Session Ends without Nebraska Online Sports Betting Agreement in Place

A special legislative session in The Cornhusker State has ended without an agreement to legalize Nebraska online sports betting. The matter will now be tabled until at least 2025, when a pre-scheduled round of legislative sessions is set to begin.

Experts and analysts are currently struggling with what to take away from the result. This latest session was not previously scheduled. It began convening in July. Many were also surprised that online sports betting legalization in Nebraska made it onto the agenda. Interest in gambling expansion has existed for some time. But the issue of Nebraska online sports betting has seldom appeared to be an urgent priority. The idea it was being discussed in a special session led lots of people to believe an agreement was likely, if not a given.

As it turns out, though, the matter will once again be placed on the backburner. In the meantime, we are all left to make sense of the fallout—assuming, of course, that is even possible.

Full Details of the Latest Nebraska Online Sports Betting Proposal

Reading between the lines, it seems as if the latest Nebraska online sports betting bill was a surprise inclusion. The special legislative session was convened primarily to discuss adjusting property taxes in The Cornhusker State. However, as Legal Sports Report’s James Gazzale explains, online sports betting found its way onto the floor:

“Senator Eliot Bostar introduced LR 3CA and LB 13 at the start of a special session that began July 25. The amendment advanced out of the General Affairs Committee last week. It would have required a four-fifths majority from the unicameral legislature to put the question in front of voters this November, or a three-fifths majority to head to the ballot in November 2026. The longer the special session went on, the less optimistic stakeholders were that online sports betting would be discussed. Industry sources signaled to LSR late last week that hope for LR 3CA was dwindling.”

These details paint the latest Nebraska online sports betting effort in a whole new light. It does not seem as if it featured prominently on the agenda. To the contrary, sources seem to indicate to LSR that LR 3CA and LB 13 never received official consideration. 

In hindsight, this entire development feels like a false flag—a measure destined to fail. Perhaps Senator Bostar and other stakeholders knew that. Maybe that was even the plan. Instead, this could be their way of elevating the issue on the 2025 Nebraska legislative agenda.

When portrayed in this context, the impromptu Nebraska online sports betting initiative seems to have done its job. Not only did it emerge from the General Affairs Committee, but Governor Jim Pillen is expected to push—and maybe even support—the issue a few months from now.

What Led to the Failure of The Cornhusker State’s Online Sports Betting Bill?

Myriad factors are always at play when measures such as this go belly up. However, in this case, it seems a large collection of Nebraska Senators do not buy into the benefits of legal online sports betting in the United States.

Near the end of the special session, more than a dozen senators voiced staunch opposition to the Nebraska online sports betting bill. Their argument rested on the recent expansion of gambling in the state. Though Nebraska sports betting was legalized in Spring 2021, it did not launch until Summer 2023. Since then, opponents argue, the returns have not lived up to what was promised. 

On top of that, Senator Bostar’s Nebraska online sports betting legalization proposal focused on funneling revenue toward the property tax fund. Those on the other side of the fence have since pointed out retail sports betting and casino gaming revenue are following similar distribution. And if the property tax fund is still experiencing deficits, why should skeptics believe online sports wagering will change that?

The question is a fair one. Ditto for all of the criticism and skepticism. But this discussion also has the outline of one that feels rushed. The state legislature might have unearthed a happy medium if given more time. This theory supports the notion that Senator Bostar merely wanted to start the discussion now and finish it later. If that’s the case, what is his desired timeline for Nebraska online sports betting?

What Is a Realistic Timeline for Nebraska Online Sports Betting?

Strong advocates won’t like the sound of this, but The Cornhusker State is likely angling for a 2026 online sports betting launch. And that is at the absolute earliest.

Failing to reach an agreement over the summer means Nebraska online sports betting will not appear on the November general election ballot. The next general elections will not be held until Fall 2026. If the state is serious about expanding their sports betting services, they will co-sign a bill during the 2025 legislative meetings. At the absolute latest, they can green light an initiative during the 2026 legislative sessions and still have it appear on the following November’s ballot. 

Of course, none of this is a given. The Nebraska Senate features enough opposition for the division to spread and/or drag out. 

What’s more, support from the House of Representatives and Senate doesn’t guarantee legalization. Nebraskans must vote on the matter. And while they approved of retail sports wagering, the introduction of online sports betting is often viewed in different terms. Voters tend to support measures that benefit local operators (i.e. federally recognized tribes) over corporate entities. There is a chance that a Nebraska online sports betting bill gets shot down by the voting population.

We are getting ahead of the game, though. Way ahead. Too far ahead. A Nebraska online sports betting measure first needs to make it out of the state legislature. It failed this time around. We’ll have to wait for early 2025 to see whether anything changes.

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